Barrichello: Sainz will face Ferrari ‘anxiety’

Former Ferrari drivers Rubens Barrichello says Carlos Sainz must control his “anxiety” that will build up ahead of joining the team.

Sainz will finish his stint with McLaren this year before heading off to Ferrari for 2021 where he will replace Sebastian Vettel.

It will be the biggest move of his F1 career by far, and for this reason Barrichello, who drove for Ferrari from 2000-05, says the Spaniard must control the “anxiety” that he will feel ahead of he move.

“He’s mentally prepared and he’s physically prepared, but he needs to control his anxiety,” he told Motorsport.com.

“He’s going to be anxious to get going. My suggestion is for him to do stuff that he can control his mind.

“Meditation was a key success for me, to keep my anxiety low. That’s what I would suggest.

“When you work on the future, it makes you anxious. How you have to live in the present is by, for me, working with meditation.”

It’s an unusual situation that multiple drivers know they are competing with their current teams for the last time in 2020.

Sainz already knows he’s joining Ferrari, Vettel’s departure from the Scuderia is confirmed and Daniel Ricciardo has been announced as a McLaren driver for 2021, making this his last season at Renault.

And Barrichello can be added to that list of people who are surprised by it all.

“I find it crazy that you already announce what is your future plan, and then you still have a year to go,”  said that 11-time race winner.

“It’s kind of tough for the mind management. It’s really tough for you to be where you feel like you don’t belong anymore.

“Because we had no news, it was fantastic for spectators to have that ‘oh my God, look, a change!’. Eventually, things will be in place and work well.

“I just find it funny, because F1 has always been the first one to announce stuff that you’re not prepared to hear. I hope it’s happy and 2021 is going to be good.”

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